Holiday Dinner
by Emerald1
Summary: A slice of life in the McGee-David household. Written ages ago as a thank you to Smackalicious for running the Secret Santa on NFA.


Holiday Dinner

Humming to herself, Ziva checked the turkey, basting it again before closing the oven door. A voice out in the living room caught her attention and she tip-toed out to surprise him, but the sight took her breath away.

Tim was standing in front of the Christmas tree, showing the lights to their infant son. It was David's first winter and he was as fascinated by the sparkling lights as he had been by the Menorah the previous week.

"What do you think, Davy, do you like the pretty lights?" Tim kissed the dark brown curls as the baby kicked and squealed in delight. "Yeah, you sure do, don't you?"

Tim looked up to see that they had an audience. Discovered, Ziva walked over to join them. "It is getting colder, we might get a white Christmas after all."

"You hear that, your first Christmas might be a white one." Tim blew a raspberry on David's belly, much to his delight and Ziva laughed at them before kissing her two favorite men.

"It is a season of firsts. David's first Hanukkah, his first Christmas. Our first holiday dinner in our new house." The last one seemed to make Ziva nervous and Tim wrapped his other arm around her.

"The turkey smells amazing. Everything's going to be fine." Tim gave her an encouraging smile before handing over the baby. "Now, why don't you take a break and cuddle with David while I set the table?"

Baby cuddles were just the ticket, and by the time their first guest arrived, Ziva was relaxed and happily mashing potatoes. Tony bounced into the house with a bottle of wine for dinner and a huge teddy bear for David.

Tim accepted the gifts with a smile. "You know you don't have to bring a toy for him every time you come over."

Tony still would rather enjoy the baby from a distance, so he watched from across the room as Davie mauled his new bear. "Yeah, well, how many nephews do I have? It's kinda fun to spoil him."

"You may regret that when he is sixteen and wants a car, Tony." Wiping her hands on a towel, Ziva came out of the kitchen just as Leon and Jackie Vance arrived with their two kids. Abby was the next one, followed a few minutes later by Ducky Jimmy and Brenna.

Just as they were beginning to wonder, Gibbs walked through the door carrying a large wooden toy box, David's name carved on the front. "Here, since DiNozzo keeps buying toys, I figured he'd need this before Christmas."

"It is beautiful, Gibbs." Ziva came out to greet their guests just as Gibbs was setting the toy box on the floor. "You spoil him as much as Tony does."

Gibbs just grinned as he shrugged. "He's too little to spoil. At this age it's all about making them feel secure and loved." He sat next to Abby as she played with the baby. Before long, DiNozzo was getting his first lesson in holding a baby while Tim and Ziva brought the food to the table.

-NCIS-

"Umm, Probie? My eyes are burning over here."

Preparing to make the first slice into the holiday bird, Tim looked up to see DiNozzo holding the baby, but leaning as far back as he could as little Davie gave another grunt. Before he could say anything, Abby laughed and clapped her hands. "Are you making a poopy for Uncle Tony?"

Tony was not quite so amused. "Uncle Tony doesn't do diapers."

Since Ziva was bringing the last of the dishes into the dining room, Tim set the carving knife on the table, but Gibbs stood and waved him back to his task. "I got this, McGee."

"You sure, Boss?" He watched as Gibbs took his honorary grandson and headed for the stairs.

"It's a diaper, not rocket science. Been a few years, but I'm sure I remember all the important steps."

"Well, yeah, but a boy baby is a little different." Tim leaned over to look towards the stairs. Gibbs' voice carried as he went up.

"I'm familiar with the plumbing, McGee."

Tim glanced over at Vance as he picked the knife back up. The head of the agency was grinning ear to ear, remembering his own adventures diapering a little boy. Before he had a dozen slices carved, a muffled curse floated downstairs and Vance snorted.

"You okay up there, Boss?"

"Did you use washable paint when you did the nursery?"

Knowing exactly what the problem was, Tim refused to look at either Ziva or Jackie, or acknowledge their giggles. "Yeah."

"What about on the ceiling?"

Tim carefully laid the carving knife and fork down again as he shook his head. "If you'll excuse me, I'll be right back. Director Vance, would you finish carving the turkey?"

Grinning, Leon took Tim's place at the head of the table and continued to slice the turkey as the two mothers in the group continued to laugh and Abby smirked. It took Tony a minute to realize exactly what had happened upstairs.

"Really? And he nailed the ceiling? I'm impressed."

-NCIS-

"Hey, Boss." Tim couldn't quite keep the amusement out of his voice, but at least he wasn't laughing like their guests downstairs. Gibbs had one hand on Davy's tummy to keep him from rolling off the changing table, but was leaning well back out of harm's way as he looked at the wet pattern across the room.

"How quick does he reload?"

"Quicker than you can imagine." Enjoying the look of horror on the older man's face, Tim stepped close enough to the baby for Gibbs to let go and move back. With one hand on Davy, Tim reached up onto the shelf and grabbed one of the fabric cones from the stack before setting it in place on his son. "That's why we have wee-wee teepees."

One gray eyebrow arched up. "Wee-wee teepees?"

"I bought them online because I sure wasn't going to walk into a store and ask for them, but they do work." Quickly and efficiently, Tim had David freshly diapered and in clean clothes.

Gibbs smiled as he watched father and son as Tim lifted David to his shoulder. "I remember that first day when you were so nervous about even picking him up. I said it then and I'll say it now. You're a good dad, Tim. You and Ziva are great parents."

"Thanks, Boss, I've had a good role model."

"You didn't need me for that, McGee." Gibbs wrapped his arm around Tim's shoulders as they walked to the bedroom door. "You're a good man, always have been. You just needed a boost in the right direction. Now, speaking of need..." Gibbs looked down at his wet shirt.

"Come on," Tim jerked his head towards the door into the master bedroom. "You can change into one of my shirts."

-NCIS-

Ziva smiled as she reached for Davy. "Where is Gibbs?"

"I, umm, loaned him a shirt. He'll be down in a minute." Tim helped guide squirming baby legs into the high chair as Ziva set David down, then held him while she buckled the safety belt and spooned some mashed potatoes onto his tray.

Tony laughed as he tickled the little boy next to him. "So he managed to pee on the wall, the ceiling and on Gibbs, all in one fell swoop? I don't think I could do that if I tried."

"You try and I'll kick your ass, DiNozzo." Gibbs sailed in with a smirk, giving his senior agent a head slap as he walked by.

Ziva rolled her eyes at their antics as she picked up her glass. "Ducky, would you make the toast?

"It would be a pleasure, my dear." Ducky stood with his wine glass as he looked around. It had only been a few months since the team had hauled furniture and helped Tim and Ziva move into their first home as a married couple. That first night everyone had eaten pizza while sitting on the floor. Now, just a scant few months later, they were all seated around a beautiful dining room table, purchased by him and lovingly restored by Gibbs. The gold trimmed china had been a gift from Tony, while the sterling flatware were from Abby. Out in the yard, new flower beds were filled with bulbs, courtesy of Jimmy and Brenna, waiting for the first of Spring.

It actually hadn't been until the arrival of little David that any of them were connected by blood, but there were a family in every sense of the word. Ducky actually had a nice long toast planned out, but decided to speak from the heart as he looked around the room.

"There is no greater gift than the one of family and we all have been truly blessed." Ducky smiled as he looked around the room, his smile widening as he watched Davy smear potatoes across Tony's sleeve. "To family."

"To family."

"Here, here."

"Family."

"Our family."

"To... oh, gross, Davy. Probie, can I borrow a shirt?"


End file.
